Heart Beat
by Hallowed Aegis
Summary: Told as a parallel story to the events of Broken Sky, here is how another Splitling played her part in the fall of Macaan. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

I found this while digging through an old USB key, and decided to post it, for old time's sake. It's rather dated, but so what :) I do not own any of Broken Sky material!

**Chapter One**

The girl couldn't have been more than eighteen winters old. Long hair flashed from her ponytail. She was running along the rocky terrain with a grace that suggested she was comfortable in this setting.

The dog's haunches quivered. His partner had given specific orders to keep out any intruders. This woman felt different to him from the others that he had disposed of. But his partner was his partner, connected by a bond deeper than any _human_ emotion.

The woman was close now; maybe 100 meters away. This close he could see her clothes clearly; sturdy and travel worn. She was slender; her loose, baggy pants couldn't disguise the sleek movements of muscle to his eye. A large, long jacket rested on slender shoulders, sleeves rolled up. A black sash was tied around her waist, twin hilts on either hip. She didn't smell old, but her hair was a dazzling silver-white.

The woman paused, and then looked straight at him. Blink felt his reality shatter as a soft voice echoed in his mind.

~ Why _are you hunting me, Blink? I haven't crossed your borders yet_,~

Blink jolted, and froze; the woman was right in front of him. In his shock, he stepped backwards, cutting his pad on a jagged edge. He was slipping when something foreign, though not bad, took a hold of his mind and brought him back over the edge of his look out. Blink struggled briefly, and then blacked out.

On the other end, Whist stumbled against a rocky outcrop. He turned his mind to his other half, and found only darkness. His steps got less coordinated as he headed toward his friend.

Aera carefully changed the bandage, mentally berating herself. She shouldn't have gripped his mind so _hard_. But she had been afraid that he would go over the edge, and it had been so long since she had had an interesting conversation with anyone…

She washed him slowly, careful not to add her scent to his. That would be quite rude, after all. She glanced at her sheltered fire and took the meat off a spit.

The dog twitched and rolled over, looking at the bound leg. Blink shuddered, remembering that other-ness in his mind. Aera placed the meat in front of him, eating a piece to show it wasn't dangerous. He devoured it rapidly, scorching his tongue. Aera tipped her water flask and let him lap the droplets. He backed up after that and sat, watching her closely. She noticed and smiled. She turned slightly to face him, arms clasped around her legs.

"I'm not your keeper. Go; Whist-master is worried," she said gently, stones conveying the meaning. Blink looked at her with frank curiosity now; she was the only human besides Whist-master that he could understand perfectly. She laughed and held out her hand for him to sniff. After a few deep breaths he licked her cheek tentatively. She giggled and rested a hand on his head, and then scratched hard. Blink smiled a dog smile; pulling back his lips and letting his tongue loll out.

"My name is Aera," she said slowly, implanting the name, face, and scent in his memory. Blink felt her in his mind but he didn't care. Some part of his dog self recognized the good in her, the gentleness, and the understanding. She gave him more meat and stamped out the fire, rolling over to go to bed.

She gasped slightly as two large front paws came over her stomach so Blink could lick her face. She scratched his belly and went to sleep.

Whist arrived at a campsite, confused. Blink was there, guarding a pack of someone's belongings. The dog looked up and lurched toward his master, ramming into him and licking his face frantically, pictures and ideas passing between them that only they could understand.

A fire was going with a pot of something cooking. Aera came out from behind a shrub, yawning. She walked right past Whist and sat down at her fire, getting out an extra bowl. She passed him some and began eating herself.

Whist stared at the food, his mind shaken. Blink leaned over and tried to snatch a large piece of meat out of the bowl. Whist tried to move the bowl out of range. Blink walked over him, trying to get to the savory smelling stew.

The girl caught Blink's attention and gave him a look; the dog sat down, head on his paws. Whist shuddered; he felt his partner's reaction – ashamed but willing, especially if she would give him a treat.

Aera waited until he was ready to talk. Without even meaning to, she caught onto the link between him and Blink, feeling the emotions at either end.

Blink was satisfied. He had food, a warm spot to sleep, and he had Whist-master and the Aera. She smiled at his thought of her. Perhaps she had pressed her image too hard on him.

Whist was confused. Blink, supposedly his symbiotic partner, had seemingly abandoned him for a night in favor of this stranger. He could feel Blink wanting to tell him so much, but the dog just waited for the woman – Aera – to speak.

Aera leaned back on her hands and looked at the Dominion sky. It was different from her birthplace, but attractive to her, though nothing could replace the beauty of crystalline rivers whispering among a grove of glimmer plants, shadows dancing through a forgotten forest. As a toddler she had run through these groves with her mother and father, her mother a slender dark haired dominion girl and her father, a Kirin who had the rarity of white hair, something that would have suggested him a half breed if his family weren't one of the most influential in Kirin Taq. She had spent time in the forests bordering her father's lands since she was a baby. Until she had been called to the palace. She ignored that thought for the moment, holding the memory of her grove in her mind. In the Dominions, her mother's homeland, the sun blazed and the moons glowed, giving difference to night and day. She loved the warmth, but her heart was ruled by night. She had grown up in night. Almost unconsciously, the wistful feeling spread to the other two she had linked her mind with.

Whist suddenly became aware of the strange presence just outside his mind. He stood up suddenly, hand going toward his belt. The girl – Aera – didn't look up.

"Who are you? What did you just do?" he asked harshly. Aera stood up and looked up at him; she was a few inches shorter. She yawned and began packing up her things.

"I should be going. I need to make Gar Jenna soon," she said conversationally, as if people spoke openly of the base of those deemed traitors by a tyrant. Whist jerked away.

"You know where Gar Jenna is? You're Parakka?" he asked, eyes wary. Aera shrugged.

"In a manner of speaking, I guess. Though I was thinking I'd better find someone first. She should be in the desert now," she said, rolling her shoulders.

"Who?" he asked. Aera paused, thinking.

"Well, it's more like two people. I need to find one to renew my ties. The other is purely a fancy. It's not often that a person has the chance to find their Splitling, after all," she said, smiling a little. "But I should get back to Gar Jenna. They'll need me soon. Once I'm there, I just need to take care of a few things and then I can go back to the desert," she continued, swinging her pack over her shoulder. She started to walk away. Blink whined.

"I'll be back, Blink. I think you'll see me again," she called over her shoulder. She climbed to a cliff and held both her hands in front of her, as if in prayer. Through the thick tunic, Whist caught a soft pulsing light. High above, a wyvern screamed and plummeted to the space in front of her. There was no harness, no padding, no bonding stone. Aera just mounted the large creature and took off, her body finding the safest place to sit.

Aera was dropped at Gar Jenna. The wyvern she had borrowed, Or'aci, blew her hair delicately. She rubbed the large young male at the base of his skull, a place he couldn't reach, and walked down the rows of buildings. People watched her, plainly wary. She was unknown, and yet had come here as if she lived here. She caught the glances of fear, and smiled, radiating peace. The people turned away. They would be content to wait.

Aera suddenly stopped, and Or'aci bumped into her. He had been following like a lonely puppy. She laughed as she ploughed head first into the ground.

"You should go back to your roost," she said. Or'aci shook his large head. Aera put her hands on her hips and started to lecture the impudent male on the importance of his own life and that though she appreciated his help very much she couldn't just risk his life too. She would have continued when a stable hand came over, trying to put a lead on him, obviously thinking a mount had gotten loose and was troubling her. He was almost within five feet when Aera looked up suddenly and glared.

"Don't you dare touch him," she growled. The boy jumped; he had thought she was busy. "He's a free wyvern and he was nice enough to bring me here but that does not make him your property! He was just leaving, anyway," she said, hard eyes turning to the male. Or'aci saw that she would take no arguments now. He snapped at her ear affectionately and took off to the cliffs surrounding the base. He plainly didn't believe her when she told him she wouldn't get into trouble.

Aera watched him go, and then turned to the boy. He was dominion stock, just over eleven winters.

"You shouldn't handle wild animals. Young males like him always have a temper, too," she said, walking past him to the stables.

Caru was one of the stable masters. He was a small man, at least fifty winters old, and completely bald. He smiled when he caught sight of Aera making her way down the aisle, getting stopped every few feet by a wyvern welcoming her. She politely told them that she didn't have enough time for overzealous hellos, but complimented those clutching on the beautiful eggs, wishing them well.

"Well, girl, I was wonderin' when you'd come back. I saw that bull. What a monster!"

"Or'aci isn't a monster. Just stubborn. I think he'll stick around. He smelled females. I'll see if Nira is interested in him; they'd breed champions, and he liked her scent the best," she said, looking over the stall door at a recent clutch. Most of the offspring were large and screamed when they saw her, each struggling to get to her. The runt was in the back. It was a female, too small to contend with her larger birth mates.

"Interested in any of 'em? Even you could use a wyvern of your own," he said. Aera brushed the bonding stone at her neck, and shook her head.

"Nah. I like freedom too much. I won't be harnessed just yet. That little one in the back – she has potential. She'll go forever, she's fast, and she's smart," she said. Caru shook his head. He knew that Aera had only just reached bonding age and would do so someday, but he also knew she could have bonded herself years ago. She was far more mature than her age suggested, partly because of her past and mostly because of her stones.

"What's the news?" she asked, curious.

"Kirin Taq's free. Aurin's dead. We lost a lot of people… my contact says that we even lost Kia," he said sadly. Aera said nothing. She sincerely doubted that Kia was dead, but wouldn't say as much to Caru.

"You look beat. Come on, let's get something to drink," he said, leading her to his office.

A day later, Aera was flying with Or'aci. The male, for all his size, was surprisingly slender for his kind. She shifted her fingers to the nerve endings in his neck, even though she didn't need to. They were moving quickly, far faster than any of the other wyverns at Gar Jenna were capable of. She drew him up suddenly and plummeted straight for the ground. She connected her mind with Or'aci, linking it so tightly that it was impossible to tell where she ended and he began. Or'aci/Aera screeched in elation as they went faster than anyone else could toward the ground. They understood the theory of it; a wyvern was able to take the harsh G-force of such a fall where a human would pass out. By linking herself with Or'aci, she enabled herself to stay conscious, opening the door to more dangerous tactics. Physically, her body would take the punishment, but mentally she would remain unharmed. Her mind would return to her body as soon as it was at a safe speed.

After a while, Or'aci slowed down to a pace that she could handle. She slipped out of the link, almost giddy from the rush that came with such jeopardy. Or'aci felt it too. She turned him toward the desert to the south, asking if he minded. He didn't, and would have followed her anyway. He had mated Nira, and then, after hearing her plans to leave, had insisted he take her flying. Besides, as he had explained to her, he wanted to go someplace warm.

Blink growled as the wyvern landed close by. Whist stood next to the enormous dog, holding one of his disks tightly. They were more than surprised when Aera's head came up between the two titanic wings of the male.

"I thought I felt you two down here," she said, dismounting. Whist noticed that her harness had a few extra seats; one looking like it could carry a dog.

"You better get right back on that thing and get lost, kid," Whist snapped. He felt his control slipping as the girl gazed at him, not concerned in the least. The wyvern behind lifted its regal head and let a soft rumble expand in its cavernous chest. The thing then dipped its neck to rest its incredible head on her shoulder, amber eyes never leaving Whist for an instant. Whist had little doubt that if he moved the bull would shield the girl and kill him. Aera scratched the bull under the chin and smiled when Blink whined.

"I'm not here to fight. You look like the kinda guy who wants a chance at revenge," she said, watching him closely. Whist shrugged and bent down to scratch his dog.

"What if I am?"

"My stones help me with lotsa stuff, kid. I can find you the person who wants Macaan dead as much as you do," she said quietly. Whist appeared to be concentrating on Blink.

"I'm listening," he said after a few moments. Aera smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own any Broken Sky material!

**Chapter Two:**

Whist felt slightly uncomfortable, hugging the woman's waist as they flew higher and higher. Blink was moaning non-stop, as he had been since they left the ground.

"Where're we going?" he yelled in her ear. Aera removed her hands from Or'aci's neck; she was linked with him now, and he knew the course to fly.

"The desert. Macaan's been staging an invasion there for just under a year now," she yelled back. Whist tightened his grip around her waist involuntarily; she smiled back at him. Or'aci twitched; she looked to the front and cursed softly, bringing them down.

They landed in a rocky forest. Or'aci was unsaddled and washed down quickly. Whist watched as the wyvern sprayed water at the girl, who smiled. Her long trench coat was forgotten, a black tube top concealing modest curves. Whist counted several stones below and above the material; bumps underneath suggested a total of eight.

He swallowed hard. Eight stones was an incredible amount. Very few people had more than four. He himself only had three. She had over twice that many, each stone a misty gray. Currently, they were glowing gently as Or'aci blew in her hair. She caught him looking, and smiled. She shook her hands dry and sat down next to him.

"My stones give me telepathic abilities. I can link into another person's thoughts, memories, emotions, whatever. I can even do it with non-humans, like Blink and Or'aci," she explained, looking straight at him. "I can see ties between people. I sense their existence. If I want to, I can control a person, and they'd never know. I'm the only person in a century to have this form of telepathy, and no one's ever had it to my extent," she concluded softly.

Whist jerked, a question out of his mouth before he could stop it. "Does it hurt?"

She sighed. "Sometimes. I can't always control it. If I'm needed, my power will act. I live other people's nightmares, fears, failures… I get all of that just from talking to them. In Parakka, they accepted me because I was good with wyverns. No one ever knew my potential," she said, sounding grateful.

Whist was oddly intrigued by the girl. Sensing the question, she said, "If they knew, I could have been a slave," she said quietly. From the way she said it, her eyes getting pale, he understood. She had been a slave once. And once was enough.

Blink woke them up in the middle of the night. Something had been bothering him. Aera pulled out her twin jitte, thin blades mirroring the twin moons. Or'aci shifted uncomfortably; she saddled him and got everything ready for a quick departure. Blink growled softly; Whist rubbed his back, whispering words of assurance. Aera motioned for them to get on Or'aci. She did the same, and closed her eyes. Whist caught a glimpse of her stones glowing. Her eyes snapped open and she jabbed Or'aci's pressure points, urging him to leave. He didn't like flying in the dark. She granted him her sight, made sharp by life in Kirin Taq. He glided silently through the night sky. Aera tightened her jacket, starting to get cold. Whist had no such cover. He was shivering violently. Aera reached down to a packet and skillfully flipped out a blanket, passing it to him. He leaned haphazardly out of the harness to snatch the blanket and bend back down.

Below them was the desert. Aera sent her mind out, searching. It came to a jarring halt as she found the person who she was looking for. Or'aci sensed her need to descend. He angled himself down and began a gentle decline.

Aera poked the fire until it burned steadily. Whist was sitting close to the flames, heating his hands. She put on her finger gloves that warmed her hands while allowing her to lose none of the dexterity required to fly a bull. Blink gnawed on the carcass of a desert animal he had managed to kill. Whist's face was wrinkled in distaste. He was about to spit when Aera plopped down next to him in her own blanket, holding to mugs of steaming broth. He sipped; it was strong enough to get rid of the taste. She yawned, and got up, drinking her broth straight down.

"I'm gonna go for a walk," she said, heading out into the desert. Or'aci started to follow. She put a restraining hand on him.

"Uh-uh, big guy. I gotta do this one alone," she said quietly. Or'aci growled, but stayed in place.

Aera waited on the sands for the woman she knew would come. She shivered, not from the cold, but from her own memories that came to the surface after so many years of lying dormant.

She had been four when she was summoned to the palace. As a toddler she had grown up in her father's peaceful forests, her eight stones never once used. She looked as a Dominion person would, if her eyes were a little too pale.

Her parents left on a journey. She was entrusted to her uncle on her mother's side; he had married her now dead sister. She had a cousin, an imperious, beautiful cousin. She smiled at the memory of their time together; her cousin was ever the leader, proud and defiant. But whenever she had failed to comply with her older cousin's wishes, she would become something of a mother, if a little harsh.

Then the day came where her uncle was curious of her powers. Eager to please the often distant relative, she had shown him her stones. She recalled how his face had become hungry, wanting the rarest power of all. She knew that three of the stones in her back had come from him; the other five had been stored in her father's treasury for his only child. Her uncle had allowed her to play with her powers, to learn them and grow into them until the soft fizzle of power in her veins was normal. Then he had sent her to her teacher.

Her cousin had been furious when she discovered her playmate had been removed. Two years later, upon her return, she expected to find a cousin barely remembering her. Instead, her cousin remembered her very well, especially that her father had sent her to be trained. Her parents had died in a flood. Until she was nine, by day she would serve her uncle, reading minds of his thanes and telling him where the traitors were. By night she was chained in a tower, a damper collar cold against her skin. Her cousin saw her only rarely, and when she did, Aera served to remind her of her hatred for her father.

When she was nine, she escaped. She spent a year wandering Kirin Taq, avoiding her uncle's spies and hiding in shadow. She found a Resonant who would take her to the Dominions. She managed to survive until she was eighteen, learning to fight, though it rarely came to that. More often she would use words and her ability to empathize with others. Even now, she had an unspoken agreement with the Keiraigs. She was allowed to cross through the Ley Warrrens because of their hatred of Macaan, as well as her efforts to save one of the hive's members when she was ten. It had been caught in a bog; she helped it out, almost sinking herself in the quagmire. She had managed to speak with the hive, a feat previously impossible by those other than the Brethren. And so, because she protected the hive like their brethren and spoke as their Brethren, she was allowed to cross after the Integration.

She smiled as she saw a figure come up; it was her. She tucked her hair under her large coat and leaned against a rock.

Blink was under strict orders from Whist master not to let Aera-lady out of his sight. He suspected that his own affection for the woman was bleeding into his master, but he didn't care. He was curious what any pups would look like, though. Whist-master, hearing his thought, squawked indignantly and told him to keep his mind on the task at hand.

Blink sniffed deeply. Two women were meeting. One, the stranger, smelled . . . the only word he could think of was metallic, but that wasn't right, either. She smelled like any other flesh and blood woman did; only she was hard. He could smell other things, like dust and sweat and pain and love, but the coldness reigned.

The other was the one he knew. She smelled of the wind and rain and storms, all together and pulsing quietly. She had a sense of power around her that was palpable as this stranger approached. His hackles rose as the stranger rested a hand at the hilt of a sword. He felt Whist-master tense slightly, and Or'aci next to him looked south.

The woman was beautiful, startling blue eyes with raven black hair giving her a dramatic look. She was dressed for travel, and her skin was too pale for the desert to be her home. Aera smiled to herself; her cousin was still the same.

The woman seemed uncomfortable. "I saw your fire and came to warm myself," she said, a strange accent in her voice. Aera smiled outright now; she used to have that same accent, before she adopted other tongues to color her language.

"Then by all means, join me. The desert is lonely with no one to talk to," she said warmly, her smile flickering in the fire light. The woman sat down opposite her, shifting herself on the sand. Aera watched her cousin, nearly unable to contain herself. She wanted so much to fling herself at the last remaining part of her childhood that she liked, but withheld herself. She felt the woman's awkwardness and sent out a flood of calm, saturating her in the memory of her father's fields where they had once played together. The woman's eyes closed for a moment, and then snapped open, sudden clarity forcing her perfect mouth to drop.

Aera sipped from her flask and passed it to her cousin; it was a special brew her mother had taught her. The woman sipped it, and then let it fall from numb fingers.

"Aera?" she whispered, eyelashes dewed with something that looked suspiciously like tears. Aera stood up and walked over to kneel by the woman, one hand cupping her cheek as a mother would, not a younger cousin sundered from her relation for years.

"You've been through a lot, haven't you, Aurin?" she asked quietly. Her cousin nodded, throat tightening. Aera's eyes were kind as she saw the turmoil in her cousin's heart.

"I never once doubted that you would get out by one way or another. You must have loved him very much to let your guard down," she said, a ghost of a smile flitting across her face. Aurin recoiled slightly, a faint blush staining her cheeks.

"He left a mark on you. You love him dearly, you want to repent… you're already on that road. Unlike your father, you have a good heart, if it was icy for a while," she said, her pale eyes becoming vacant.

"You've grown strong, cousin. I can see that too. Your hatred drove you, and now love and hate as well. You know what your father sheltered you from; pain, sadness, regret."

The one-time princess got to her feet, eyes flashing. Aera didn't move when she felt cold steel brush her neck.

Aurin held onto her sword tightly. Her cousin had never been like this, had never used her powers without permission. She had never divined another's mind, certainly not her cousins.

Blink, from his post, watched the struggle for dominance. The glacier-lady had physical means of destruction – he could smell it. He waited for the Aera to respond.

"I've grown stronger, too, cousin," Aera sad quietly, and Aurin felt something grip her tightly, forcing her to sheath the blade and sit down before she hurt herself. She was frozen as Aera towered above her, face impassive.

"You shouldn't cling to first impressions. People are dynamic. We are meant to change at least once in our life. My change happened on the streets. It was the only way I could survive. You rely on your stones more than I; your sword would have been a channel, not the means. I know this, and I've known it for years," she said coldly.

Aurin shuddered, and then suddenly Aera was next to her, giving her a brief hug.

"You want to repent? You want to go back to this man with something proving you are not a glacier? I know how," she said, eyes bright. Aurin sat, and listened.

Whist watched the other woman suspiciously as she came back with Aera. They both heard him curse softly under his breath, accompanied by something that sounded oddly like 'more girls!' Or'aci let about a whoosh of breath in agreement. Aurin looked around, uncomfortable. Whist was sizing her up, as was Blink. Aera ignored them all for the moment, making a fuss over Or'aci and asking if he minded just one more person.

"Li'ain, I think you'd better get some sleep," she said, directing the comment at her cousin. Aurin nodded, blushing at the name. It had been her mother's.

Whist sat with Aera, watching the proud woman fall asleep.

"So that's her?"

Aera nodded, watching the sand turn blood red from the approaching sun. Whist yawned while Blink twitched in his sleep.

"Seems kinda weird that a girl packin' that much power would just come along with you. Use any mind tricks on her?" he asked innocently.

"She came because she wanted to. I would never force family into this," she said. Whist jerked, and then noticed the same level eyes and slender shoulders.

"She's my cousin," she explained, sharpening her blade. She paused for a moment, coking her head as if listening to something, and then cursed.

"There are some mines nearby. Scouts have spotted us," she growled. Whist ran over to Or'aci.

Li'ain shuddered as Aera circled above the soldiers on the ground. She was hiding with Whist while her cousin drew them away.

A cold nose nudged her; Blink. She stifled a gasp and looked at the enormous dog. He gently gripped her wrist in his teeth and started to lead her away.

Aera frowned as the men on the ground scattered from her, screaming in terror of the bolts that came raining down on them. It was all in their minds. She felt their fear, their panic, the worry for their families… she forced them to see the destruction she wished. And then gave them the image of the enormous wyvern being hit by a bolt and erupting in flames until there was nothing.

Aera landed, her face grey. Li'ain went to greet her, only to be shoved away. Aera dug a hole and threw up, her body retching uncontrollably. She half expected to feel soft, feminine hands steady her. But her cousin had only recently regained her humanity, and intense emotions made her uncomfortable. She knew she couldn't expect it of her; it was too soon. Whist watched, disgusted, as Li'ain looked at Aera with something like helpless detachment, wringing her hands. She didn't know what to do, and just stood there, watching. He pushed her aside and steadied Aera, rubbing her back slowly. She shivered as he unconsciously ran his thumb over her spirit stones.

Her breathing slowed, her trembling subsided. She leaned heavily into Whist, staggering. He led her to the fire and got her a blanket and food. When he sat down next to her, she was ready.

"I was them for a moment. When you impress thoughts and images in a mind to convince them of untruths, you have to get into their thoughts. They were scared that they would never see their families again, that they would die and Macaan would kill their families, that their children would grow up without knowing a father, that they would starve, that they would die…" she choked, and tears traced her face. Whist put his arm around her and let her cry into his shoulder. Blink came over and tried to lick her tears.

Whist looked over at her. He had felt her reaching out, her stones reacting without the host's approval, responding to her need to be comforted.

Li'ain stoked the fire. "Don't worry; it's just a side effect. She'll take on their emotions for a while after that close of a contact. She'll get over it by the morning," she said conversationally. Blink growled at her careless tone.

"I take it you two were never close," Whist said, mistaking her manner for detachment rather than ignorance. Li'ain jolted, and he saw his miscalculation.

"I hated my father because he sent her away to be a servant, even though she was almost equally ranked with me. I hated him because he took away my only friend. I thought she died a long time ago," she said, voice hard. Whist saw a remainder of the proud ruler in her snapping eyes, and his hand strayed to a metal disk.

Aera rolled toward the fire, her thick pale hair mussed and her eyes bleary. Tear stains still traced her cheeks.

"Please…don't fight…no more fighting today," she whispered, eyes becoming wet again. Blink was at her side instantly, reflecting both his own and his master's anxiety. Or'aci sat against her back, dwarfing her in size. One leathery wing encircled her like some birds did with chicks. He blew on her hair, and his scent and his warmth and his tranquil, pupil-less gaze helped her breath easier. He allowed Blink to stretch out under her stomach. She let go of one last shuddering sigh and fell asleep, a tear sliding to the sand.

Whist groaned as a hand shook him awake, and was surprised to see Aera pull away, looking slightly embarrassed. He looked around; Li'ain was sleeping next to Or'aci, clearly trying to keep an eye on her cousin but to exhausted to stay up all night. Blink had wandered back to him in the night. He saw a mug of some hot stew in her hand.

She sat down next to him, putting the mug next to him. He yawned, and took a sip. It was good, though it burned his tongue. She smiled as he took a hasty drink from a flask.

"I wanted to thank you for last night," she said, looking away. He shrugged.

"Whatever. Your cousin didn't seem so good with people." She nodded, still not looking at him. He got that feeling again, that she needed contact. Grumbling inwardly about women, he threw an arm around her shoulder, smiling at her. She looked up, surprised. She blushed slightly, and he saw the reason for it. The way they were situated, he was almost on top of her.

"Do you want to talk about anything," he said, smile strained. She shook her head slightly. Li'ain chose that moment to wake up, as did Blink. Li'ain responded by raising one cultured eyebrow, Blink by commenting to both of them that he wanted to be in charge of any resulting pups. Whist blushed furiously, and Aera forgot her anxiety to scramble over to the large dog and scratch him.

An hour later they were walking through the sand, Or'aci gliding inches above their heads, shielding them from the hottest rays. Whist complained about the sand, so Or'aci swooped down and picked him up. Blink followed. After a few more hours, Li'ain was too tired, so she got on the wyvern as well. Aera was fresh; she picked up her pace to a lively jog, spinning her blades idly and slashing at her shadow. She continued until well into the afternoon, her stamina an unexpected accomplishment for a girl her age. She altered their course to the south east. Li'ain understood. She would soon be forced to play her part, and repent.

Whist and Aera stood on a hill, watching as Li'ain was welcomed into the desert camp. Aera smiled, and mounted Or'aci, rolling her shoulders. Aera sent out a wave of love to her cousin.

Whist swallowed hard, and slipped his arms around her waist. Over the past week, he had become increasingly aware of her. Blink insisted that it was in response to him not having a mate and that it was time for him to settle down and have some pups. He was beginning to agree with his dog, at least on one point; he suspected he had something of a crush on her. It was kind of hard not to feel attracted to a woman who loved animals as much as she did. What surprised him was that he was attracted to someone who had such a large emotional out and input, whereas he wasn't prone to any displays of sentiment.

Aera nudged the points in the wyvern's neck, feeling the turmoil behind her, gritting her teeth. It was her nature to want to help, to take on another's pain. She forced her mind on the wyvern below her, focusing.

Every time she linked with Or'aci, it got easier, and she felt her power increase slightly afterwards. She was beginning to understand his mind, his habits, his likes and dislikes. She smiled to herself and felt him respond; a smile was a sign of enjoyment, and she enjoyed flying very much. He pumped his wings hard, hitting an air current and rolling over onto his back in midair. Behind her, Whist gave a yelp and gripped her harder around the waist while Blink began panicking.

His head was close to her mouth.

"I can make this easier! You could join with me and Or'aci!" she yelled. Whist closed his eyes, a link between him and Blink being established. He opened his eyes and nodded.

It was the weirdest thing he had ever felt. He was in all of them, though he felt the monumental power in Aera shielding him. He was used to Blink, but he also felt Or'aci's amusement at his worry. Curious, he asked how fast the wyvern could go. Or'aci responded by diving straight toward the ground.

Aera watched in amusement as Blink advanced on Or'aci, growling. The dog had blinked them onto the ground in an instant, not enjoying the aerial antics. Whist was trying to regain his balance. She bolstered him, smiling into his dyed face, and helped him make camp.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Blink told him she was flushed from the flight, her blood was pumping faster. She was excited, high on danger. She was lightly dewed with sweat from the exertion of linking them all. Blink brought him her scent; sand, wind, trees, water, and a throbbing life. Whist became almost painfully aware of how close she was, of the way she walked and the way her hands helped her expression. He watched how her long blonde hair, so blonde it seemed silver, snaked down in thick tresses to her hips, almost dancing. Her eyes were so pale a blue that he could barely make out the color. He focused on getting wood for the fire, trying not to look at her as she rubbed noses with Or'aci. Blink gave him a skeptical look, and shook his head in an imitation of his human.

Aera couldn't sleep. She couldn't relax with him this close, sleeping that way with his multicolored hair tousled, his bare chest rising and falling, his necklace of wooden beads clicking occasionally. She turned away from him for a moment, but she could still see him in her mind. Exasperated and disgusted with herself, she got up and reached for her bag, preparing to leave. She had introduced him to Aurin; he'd find his way back to her. Her job was done. The deliverer's could stop sending her the images and find a new puppet, even though she knew her reason for leaving was the ugly sensation of hate building up west of her. She felt the need to go there, to heal the emotional wounds that not even those with the yellow stones could help. Cursing her fate, she shrugged on her over coat and flipped her blades around, getting used to the feel of leather on her hands.

Or'aci felt the frustration boiling in her. He understood to a point the tension riding between the two. He moved silently, and started walking to a safer take off point.

Aera wrote down the message hastily, almost flinging it from her. She started walking toward Or'aci when she felt an arm wrap around her naked waist. Wooden beads were pressed lightly into her ear.

"Where are you goin'?" he asked softly, making her hair stand on end. She recognized the voice of a killer.

"I have to get away from here," she said, equally quiet. She felt him tense then relax as she rested her hands on his arm, trying to remove it. He was stronger than he looked by far. She shifted a little, but he didn't let go.

"Where are you goin'?" he repeated, gentler this time.

"I feel something. I'm being, I don't know, pulled," she said, describing it as best she could, knowing that it wasn't the entire reason.

"Perhaps where isn't the best question, huh? How about you tell me why you're goin' instead," he said conversationally, though he didn't remove his arm. It began to feel natural.

"I just told you," she said, trying to turn around to face him. He held her firmly in place.

"That's not all, though," he said as she turned around to look at him. A mistake. Now he could see her face. She looked down, following the curves and traces of the dyes on his torso. He knew.

"I have to go," she said, pushing against him. He locked both arms around her, not moving until she answered him.

"Where? To Aurin? Or Li'ain or what ever her name is? To some other unfortunate? To Parakka? Macaan? Where!" he growled.

"I need to keep an eye on Li'ain, yes, but more so on her charge. It's critical that she succeed in the following months. _She_ must rescue her, and then reunite them," she mumbled.

"What about me?" he asked. "Me'n Blink don't got anything t' do. And you promised me revenge."

"I couldn't ask you to do this! This is something that I have to do, and I won't risk any more people! Enough have died and enough will die and you don't need to be one of them!" she said, jerking away, voice rising. She could use her stones, but she couldn't keep her concentration when he looked at her like that. Whist grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"I'm not leaving. Got it? And neither are you. You're gonna stick with me until your cousin does what ever it is she's gotta do, and we'll go from there. And as for me dying, I don't die easy. Now get back to bed," he said. Or'aci growled, but she didn't hear. She looked at him, and walked over to her spot by the fire and dropped her pack. She sat down, and opened her mouth to speak. He passed her a blanket wordlessly. She looked at him, and curled up. She heard Whist sit a few feet away from her, and never felt him look away.

Her cousin was much tanner than she remembered. Li'ain smiled and hugged the woman who had given her a chance to repent. Aera glanced toward the tent in the camp that held her Splitling, and followed the trail that led from her to the other man in the camp, the one that came after the initial heartbreak, the one that would heal her for once and for all.

Six months had done much to change both women. It seemed that the one time princess had grown up a great deal, even more than she had in her travels. She had come to terms with her past, it seemed. Her smiles were easier and genuine. She was also sincerely concerned about the well being of others, a large change.

Aera had grown too, though it wasn't as obvious. She had a way of carrying herself now, completely balanced. She seemed more alive, though at the same time increasingly distant. She seemed to be watching the horizon, looking for something that never came into view, but with each passing second she strengthened her resolve. Li'ain understood, even if her cousin didn't.

Li'ain gripped her cousin's hand, eyes worried. "Are you well?"

"Yeah. Just, tired," she said, smiling.

"What do you plan to do now?" she asked.

"After your little performance with Takami, I'm going to go to Gar Jenna. I'll be able to meet both of them that way."

Li'ain nodded. "What about Whist?"

"Whist'll show up if wants to," Aera said. Whist had been true to his word and stuck around with Blink for six months, always watching her back but understanding her need to be alone at the same time. She was grateful. That made it possible for them to salvage their friendship and perhaps more. There were times when he would look at her with the mix of curiosity and amusement and something so intense, she had to look away. Then there were times when she did the same, and Blink would suddenly appear in front of her, demanding to be scratched. In six months they had fought together many times, always coming out lucky.

Li'ain smiled, and Aera smiled back, enjoying the company of her cousin like she used to when she was a kid.

Aera screamed in excitement as Or'aci powered upwards, speeding faster, untouchable. She bent down until she was pressed against him tightly, and then felt him pull in his wings, dropping. A canyon wasn't far; Jikko wouldn't care if she latched on to the maneuvering team. She was still recovering from her flight with the other twin. The team leader replacing Jikko, someone less skilled and less kind, glared at her as she darted in the canyon ahead of him and spiraled forward, faster than any of them dared go. She waved to them, wind buffeting her arm as she pulled it back in. They were almost to Gar Jenna now. They left the canyon like an arrow, speeding above the heads of the occupants and causing them to look at her with awe and worry.

When they landed, she threw her arms around Or'aci's neck. He reared up, lifting her off the ground, smaller front wings reaching around to close around her back, his imitation of a hug. She laughed and kissed his beak when he put her down, drawing stares from the people. She watched him wing away to a cave nearby, and then drew her jitte and went to do some battle practice.

Ryushi observed the girl who came onto the courts languidly. She was the young male's only pilot, the one who tamed a wild male but wouldn't bond him. She was also the best flyer in Gar Jenna, better even the Jikko, though she always said she was just lucky. She was slim, and had a look of simple curiosity on her face. At the same time, her eyes looked ages older than any mortal could live to be. She reminded him of Elani, both young and old.

She saw him watching and jogged over to him, flipping the slender blades in her hands.

"Hey. Gotta partner?" she asked, voice carrying the same lilt that Aurin's did. Aurin. The reason he was here. To get his mind off of her, and his twin, and Calica, and the plan hatching in Macaan's twisted brain. Just an hour away from that would help.

"Now I do," he said, drawing his sword. She smiled, and went into a low crouch.

"Stones?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Mine aren't meant for fighting," she said. He nodded, understanding.

"'K. Get ready," he said, and lunged.

She was fast, unbelievably so. She watched him closely, reading his moves before they even came. Her blades were dangerous, shorter than his sword but giving her a large defensive advantage over him. He saw a chance and took it, knowing it would leave a split second opening but it wouldn't matter if he got her…

He jabbed suddenly at her shoulder. Her blade came up straight, deflecting it as she thrust forward, blade hovering just over his eyelashes. She smiled, and pulled away, twirling the blades twice before sheathing them.

Ryushi wiped away sweat from his eyes, grinning.

"I didn't think you'd take that move. Nobody's that fast," he said, meaning it as a compliment.

"That's not true. Macaan's little experiments are," she said quietly, the typical smile gone. He winced, and shrugged.

"Yeah, but I mean humans," he said.

She seemed to perk up a bit. "Yeah, but what makes you so sure I'm human? And what makes them not human? Maybe you're just the slow one," she said, grinning but still getting her point across. He swiped at her head. She ducked easily and darted away, hearing the rushing wind of Or'aci and the lone howl in the canyon.

Whist gasped as she rammed into him, arms around his neck in an exuberant hello. He had to swing her a little to keep his balance. Blink was prancing, almost tripping his master.

She let go, eyes bright. "It's almost ready. You're gonna attack the Mechanist's Guild soon. As in a few days," she said, and hugged him again. He patted her back awkwardly, a faint blush on his face. When she let go, she was blushing a little too, but from excitement. Blink cannoned into her and licked her face frantically, and she shrieked in helpless laughter. After a while, Whist tried to push the dog off her, but ended up falling next to her. Blink then proceeded to wash his master's face as well, resulting in tones from amusement to annoyance.

Aera got up and help her hand out to him, helping him up. She almost danced over to Or'aci, hugging him too. Whist had a chance to get a deep breath. Blink nudged him a little as she was packing her things hurriedly. She paused at their things, and glanced at them.

"Yeah, we'll go with you for a little way," Whist said. "At least until we go with Ryushi's group." She raised one eyebrow.

"You think I'm not coming?" she asked, incredulous. Whist flinched, and turned around to look at her closely. "I'm coming with you. I'll get in on my own if I have to, but I am not leaving you," she said, glaring at him. He grinned, spinning one of his disks.

"And what if I say no?" he asked, body taunt. She understood, and stuck out her tongue at him.

"Then I'll make you say yes," she retorted. He rolled his eyes.

"If that's the case I guess I'll have to let you tag along."


	4. Chapter 4

The final chapter of this rather short story. Thank you for taking the time to look through! As always, I do not own any Broken Sky material

**Chapter** **Four**

It had gone awry. Horribly off course. The plan was in shambles.

They were in Netherfane.

Blink and Whist looked around, worried. Macaan had transported them all, but he had forgotten about one person. Aera. She had been hiding in Whist's shadow, her power creating a blind spot in all the minds she encountered. It allowed her to walk past them and have them none the wiser. But where was she.

Aera shuddered, panicking. A damper collar was tightening around her neck, squeezing off her power. No one would be able to find her now. She heard Macaan's voice around her, mocking.

_"Well, I seems I've caught a stowaway. No matter. I'll get to you later."_

She could hear the battle taking place below. She heard her Splitling scream, and for once, didn't feel the urge to scream with her. She was cut off, alone.

Alone. She had no other person to live through, to help, to be able to relate to. Alone reminded her of the time when she had been under the training of her cruel master, of how she would be locked in a cellar every night, the hated collar with the damp stone always choking her and the beatings that took place with it on, forcing her to do as she was told, a constant reminder of what punishment would be if she were alone.

Her breathing became labored, frantic. She was helpless. Her swords wouldn't do her any good. Macaan would kill them all, and then he would destroy all of them…all of those innocent people that she was connected with, people that in her dreams she had visited, helped, suffered, laughed and cried with. He would kill them all, sparing none because he wanted them to suffer as much as he had.

For the first time in her life, Aera cried for herself.

Blink barked sharply; he smelled something. Whist grabbed him, and Blink understood the look in Whist-master's eyes. It was how Sand-man looked at Kia-earthshaker. He blinked, and then backed up to give them space.

Whist knelt down by her, and pushed the hair out of her face. She jerked, tears tracing her beautiful face, the ugly collar standing out against her long hair. She let loose a sob and threw herself into his chest, sobbing brokenly. Whist felt a coldness resulting from his close proximity with her, and felt Blink suddenly grow distant. The dog didn't make a move; he watched his master and waited patiently.

"Calm down, we have to go help them," he said. She tried to get herself under control, but failed.

"What is it? What is it?" he asked, shaking her gently.

"I was alone…I was alone. I had no one else…I hate being alone," she whispered. Whist watched her carefully, and felt something move in him. Something he expected from other people, not himself. He cradled her face and kissed her, long and hard.

Aera's eyes widened in shock, and then closed them, arms hugging the boy who kissed her. It was incredible, and what was more, it was all for her, from only him. Blink was cut off, leaving only Whist. She pulled away and rested her head on his shoulder, and he just held her for a few seconds. He stood up with her, still holding her. She turned her back to him, moving her hair out of the way. He brought up a pick and took off the collar, stroking the stones in her back as they glowed again, repossessed of their soft fire. She smiled as he placed an arm around her waist and a hand on Blink, who had rejoined them. They blinked.

As they arrived in a rocky outcrop, she dropped the collar, and gasped in pain. She could feel the people of both the Dominions and Kirin Taq clamoring in her mind for help, for a savior. She fell to her knees, hands clamped over her ears. Whist dropped with her, hand rubbing her back, trying to help. She bit her lip until blood flowed, and gripped his hand tightly. She forced herself to look at the fight below, nearing the final stage.

Elani was screaming as Ryushi and Kia let loose a tremendous amount of energy at Macaan. Her cousin was trying to keep up her defenses, but was failing. Macaan knew the twins would tire quickly, and he was holding on until then, though just barely.

"Whist, aim for Macaan. I can get his defenses down," she whispered. Whist nodded, kissing her forehead, and got up to take aim.

Aera stood up, and spread her hands. She grabbed hold of all the thoughts of all the people, the memories, the histories, the lives, and focused on Macaan. She spoke, and only he heard.

"You want to be King? Then _be_ King!" With that, she thrust all of the lives of all the people of both the Dominions and Kirin Taq into the mind of Macaan, forcing him to freeze as Whist yelled for his attention.

As he looked up at the spinning disk, he lived every life, bled from every scar, and felt every blow. Aera felt him questing for her through it all.

"Here I am," she whispered, and as his eyes widened in shock the disk struck home. Aera felt his death as sharply as if it were her own, a sign that she was once again the bearer of the memories. She gasped painfully, and felt her knees give out from under her. Blackness followed.

Afterwards, Kia was united with her Splitling, Aera. Elani had many questions for her and the strange half breed was adopted by the younger girl very quickly.

Ryushi and Calica had boarded the ship, _The Banto_, when Whist came up to her. Li'ain had joined them, planning on traveling with them for a ways. Aera sat on Or'aci, a seat behind her for Whist. Blink had chosen to go next to Li'ain. On the ground.

Whist looked uncertainly at the points with the scales rubbed off. Aera wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his new coat.

"How do I do this again?" he asked nervously. Aera sighed, and switched places with him.

"Watch. You and I are gonna join with Or'aci. You'll actually be Or'aci for a while. Ok, now you put your hands here, and then press forward gently. See, he's going for takeoff. Now push harder, depending on the speed you wanna go. Ready?"

Whist nodded, squeezing her waist a little harder. She rested a hand on his clenched fists and bent down.

"Let's go, then," she said. She grinned as he quickly kissed the base of her neck, a sudden rush of wind causing her white hair to fan out. Or'aci screamed a challenge to the departing Aracille, reminding him to come back soon. On deck, Ryushi and Calica waved. On the ground, Kia and Jedda looked up, smiling as the pair soared overhead. Or'aci dipped suddenly and clipped Gerdi in the head, causing Hochi to burst out in laughter.

Li'ain looked up and saw them flying closer, and spurred her mount onward. One day they would go across the sea, maybe in the near future. But first, she wanted to see more and learn more. Whist and Aera would accompany her for a time before going on their own journey. Li'ain smiled.

Some things were meant to be broken; others seem impossible to fix. But sometimes, it turns out that the thing was never broken to begin with.


End file.
